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Where to dine on Christmas Day?

FunJohnny

By FunJohnny
in D.C. & DelMarVa: Dining

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FunJohnny

FunJohnny

Posted
Posted (edited)

This will be the first time that I can remember not enjoying the Christmas feast either chez moi, or at a close relative's, and I am seeking suggestions in the DC metro area -- preferably either the District or NOVA for a great meal on Christmas Day. Just spoke with Todd at Restaurant Eve, and they will be closed, :sad: but a similarly fine establishment is what I have in mind.

Edited by FunJohnny (log)

Oh, J[esus]. You may be omnipotent, but you are SO naive!

- From the South Park Mexican Starring Frog from South Sri Lanka episode

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mnebergall

mnebergall

Posted
Posted

Issue number 1 is: what restaurants will be open that day. I would look at hotels which are more likely to be open. Do not look for the A team to be working that evening. Corduroy comes to mind as a possbility. How about the restaurant in the Sofitel or that new place out at L'Enfant Plaza.

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JennyUptown

JennyUptown

Posted
Posted

OpenTable.com wasn't much help in this case. It listed these restaurants as taking reservations:

Fahrenheit (tho' Tom says it has improved)

Juniper Foggy Bottom

La Miche Bethesda

Michel Richard Citronelle (yes!)

Morrison House - The Grille Alexandria

Paolo's Ristorante - Georgetown

Sotto Sopra - ??

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hillvalley

hillvalley

Posted
Posted

Or you could do what the rest of us who think it's just another Saturday night.

Eat Chinese

Where ever you go make a reservation fast. I have seen grown men with multiple fancy degrees get into fist fights over tables that night.

True Heroism is remarkably sober, very undramatic.

It is not the urge to surpass all others at whatever cost,

but the urge to serve others at whatever cost. -Arthur Ashe

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iamthestretch

iamthestretch

Posted
Posted
Where ever you go make a reservation fast.  I have seen grown men with multiple fancy degrees get into fist fights over tables that night.

I thought it was New Year that was the big scrum down?

"Mine goes off like a rocket." -- Tom Sietsema, Washington Post, Feb. 16.

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Busboy

Busboy

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Posted
Where ever you go make a reservation fast.  I have seen grown men with multiple fancy degrees get into fist fights over tables that night.

I thought it was New Year that was the big scrum down?

On Christmas, the fights happen before people get drunk. The Busboys blew of Christmas dinner a couple of years ago to -- well, just to prove that we controlled tradition, not the other way around -- and celebrated what is now known in family lore as the Jewish Christmas at Mei Wah in Dupont. It was a mob scene and, though we had reservations and were relatively early, waits were long. Lot of yelling and angry stomping around near the hosts table: "Why did they get seated?" "What, did they pay you off?" "I've been here over an hour. (maybe some of them were a little drunk, after all) I want a table now."

Anyway, I'd reserve soon and go early or late, unless you're at a swanker spot than Mei Wah - which is no dive, by the way. Food was pretty decent, too.

(Hill, if you want to take part in a cross-cultural exchange, you can come to our house this year.)

I'm on the pavement

Thinking about the government.

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hillvalley

hillvalley

Posted
Posted
Where ever you go make a reservation fast.  I have seen grown men with multiple fancy degrees get into fist fights over tables that night.

I thought it was New Year that was the big scrum down?

On Christmas, the fights happen before people get drunk. The Busboys blew of Christmas dinner a couple of years ago to -- well, just to prove that we controlled tradition, not the other way around -- and celebrated what is now known in family lore as the Jewish Christmas at Mei Wah in Dupont. It was a mob scene and, though we had reservations and were relatively early, waits were long. Lot of yelling and angry stomping around near the hosts table: "Why did they get seated?" "What, did they pay you off?" "I've been here over an hour. (maybe some of them were a little drunk, after all) I want a table now."

Anyway, I'd reserve soon and go early or late, unless you're at a swanker spot than Mei Wah - which is no dive, by the way. Food was pretty decent, too.

Picture it: Christmas Night, 1998. Fong Lin Restaurant in Bethesda. The joint is packed with hungry nonChristmas type folk. Party of 7 shows up an half an hour early for their 7 o'clock reservation. At 7:10 they are seated. Family of 4, without reservations, who had been waiting an hour and a half and have no table in sight observe situation.

Father of the second family cannot find the maitre de to complain. Instead he approaches father of the first family. Less than adult words are exchanged. Slowly everyone in restaurant turns to watch the building excitement.

Father of second family moves threateningly towards father of first family. Chests are puffed and backs are straightened. Men prepare to defend their territory and fight for the last Hong Kong style wonton until the daughter in the first family loudly bursts into tears and runs out of the restaurant. The entire place goes silent.

You gotta love them holidays :raz:

(Hill, if you want to take part in a cross-cultural exchange, you can come to our house this year.)

Hehehe, my mental telepathy made it across the park!

True Heroism is remarkably sober, very undramatic.

It is not the urge to surpass all others at whatever cost,

but the urge to serve others at whatever cost. -Arthur Ashe

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Malawry

Malawry

Posted
Posted

I learned some time ago to avoid DC area Chinese restaurants on Christmas Day. Even takeout is really hard to manage. Too many fellow Jews in town, I guess!

Rochelle Reid Myers aka "Malawry"

Diary of a Cooking School Student

Foodblog: 34 Hungry College Girls

Foodblog: Expecting a Future Culinary Student

Lots of Everything

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FunJohnny

FunJohnny

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No need to stop the discussion here, but I'm taking my wife and child to Corduroy, if Fero can help me out with a reservation. Many thanks for the other suggestions, but if I wanted to do the Chinese thing, I'd just have the little wife whip up some noodles, or go to Mark's Duck House.

Oh, J[esus]. You may be omnipotent, but you are SO naive!

- From the South Park Mexican Starring Frog from South Sri Lanka episode

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  • 3 weeks later...
Kanishka

Kanishka

Posted
Posted

I'm working on an article for those trapped in DC/unwilling to cook on Christmas/Christmas Eve. DCFoodies points to some options with price points--Equinox, Fahrenheit, Galileo... any other options? Is CityZen offering anything for Xmas, or Corduroy, or anywhere else for that matter? I'd like to be as comprehensive as possible. Thanks for any help you eGulleters can offer!

K

DCist

A Blog Mainly about Food

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FunJohnny

FunJohnny

Posted
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Posted (edited)

Here's a thread on the same subject: Dining out on Christmas

edited to add: Corduroy is featuring a fixed price three course, but for this and other options, prompt action to acquire reservations is needed

Edited by FunJohnny (log)

Oh, J[esus]. You may be omnipotent, but you are SO naive!

- From the South Park Mexican Starring Frog from South Sri Lanka episode

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morela

morela

Posted
Posted

No one should feel trapped at christmas time.

Enjoy the simple pleasures of the season:

Eat some figgy puddin' and get drunk on a bottle of something more valuable than your own limbs. Wrap those last few gifts as you doze off...

Appreciate the neglected television, after a long walk in the woods...

Take a nap to the tune of Chritmas Mass on WETA (after a marathon of Simpsons and Sopranos).

Allow just one day to verbally abuse a deserving family member, cab drivers and the pushy cart people at Whole Foods. Maybe the valet guy too, if you have time. If you're feeling really on top of things, go to the Verizon, Sprint or Nextel store and make a scene.

Sleep for two, maybe three days, while a strange fairy removes all the decorations from the tree and smuggles away the horrible fruit cake and that despicable sweater from Aunt Gertrude.

***

Finally, it's a perfect time to go to Maestro and buy loads of material crap you think you need, like a pink cashmere coat and Louis Vuitton bags.

And just maybe, just maybe have sex.

Cheers!

...

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Nadya

Nadya

Posted
Posted (edited)

Ooh, that was good. On a Chinese topic, my friend and I have a tradition of a Christmas brunch at my place, and two years ago I was driving frantically across town and the only places that were open were little Vietnamese- and Korean-run corner stores. Never was I so happy to see one open.

On a related subject, Bis, I think, will be open on the 25th. Last year we closed early - around 8 pm. I should find out shortly.

Edited by Nadya (log)

Resident Twizzlebum

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